Wow! What a Time Machine of memories! I was born in Southern California, but we would travel back to TUCUMCARI every other year to visit my dads mom. She had a little farm with Big hogs & chickens. The old rout 66 went right through town (now the 40 Interstate, bypasses the city). There was an old public pool that was just outside of town our parents would drop the 6 six of us off at, cuz we complained about nothing to do. My mother’s family also lived out there in kind of a renovated adobe house. That was also unbearably hot in the summer. I don’t know how my parents handled taking six kids inna station wagon all the way to TUCUMCARI, no way I would do it 🤣
Stayed there a month ago on a Saturday night. Had a wonderful time taking pics of the neon and later talking around the table outside at the Safari Motel with other guests.
I’ve been here for a year, it does have its charm, but it’s not all that and a soda , but I would recommend staying at the rawhide sweet at the safari and eating at dels, then you will have the best experience
Thought I'd point out the Welcome Center as well. We arrived and just wanted some info on what motels were open (January). The lady said only a couple of them were open but didn't tell us which ones. We asked them which ones and the guy said they couldn't tell us because that would give one an advantage over the others. We weren't really sure if they were goofing on us or were just rude and impolite. To add to what you said about the town in general. Things don't change a lot there during the summer. Only a handful of places, mostly the pure tourist joints, close at all. Most keep some sort of schedule even in the off season. The city at night isn't much either. There are a couple of iconic old-school signs and a hodge-podge of others. In 1975 the place was really lit up at night, not anymore. The town itself really isn't worth a special stop or reward it by stopping in and spending money. Tucumcari is on that list of towns that are close to slipping into irrelevance as its economy drops further downhill. What little income comes in from the cattle business and Route 66. However, when you compare it to other towns in New Mexico along 66 you can see that it is on the bottom end of the list. I'd advise if you're headed west to drive on down to Santa Rosa, about an hour away. It has several places to eat and a group of newer, chain hotels out off the freeway for folks who don't want to venture on the wild side. Like T-town Santa Rosa has few places to eat, and none that are very good. Since the Club Cafe closed down years ago only Joseph's provides full menu eating. However, the service there blows, and the staff seem to have a tude'. Club Cafe was a very good place to eat. The food was all homemade and fresh. It had been a Route 66 mainstay for decades (the Fat Man signs, sourdough biscuits) and was usually crowded. It also had a large amount of local business until the fast-food joints came to town. That finished it off.
Thanks so much for all of the information. Yep, I could tell something was a bit “off” in the city, though it has a lot of interesting places. I definitely hope to go back through there when I make my next journey on Route 66, next time from East to West.
I moved here to Tucumcari 2 1/2 years ago. It has a lot the big chain Hotels also, Along side I 40. If you don't want to stay in one of the historic ones. They are always open. I was in one of the historic ones for awhile when I bought a house here. There were a lot of people traveling the RT 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica,, that stayed at the motel I was at. They came from all over,,Japan and Europe. I meant a lot of them while I was at the old motel.
I love to visit Tucumcari
Great vlog... very helpful as im planning to do route 66.... cheers 🇬🇧
Highly recommend the Roadrunner Lodge too…dog friendly. Amazing place!
When I go back, I will definitely pencil in a day in this city. Surprised me.
Wow! What a Time Machine of memories! I was born in Southern California, but we would travel back to TUCUMCARI every other year to visit my dads mom. She had a little farm with Big hogs & chickens. The old rout 66 went right through town (now the 40 Interstate, bypasses the city). There was an old public pool that was just outside of town our parents would drop the 6 six of us off at, cuz we complained about nothing to do. My mother’s family also lived out there in kind of a renovated adobe house. That was also unbearably hot in the summer. I don’t know how my parents handled taking six kids inna station wagon all the way to TUCUMCARI, no way I would do it 🤣
Stayed there a month ago on a Saturday night. Had a wonderful time taking pics of the neon and later talking around the table outside at the Safari Motel with other guests.
Yep. Definitely plan to make that an overnight stop next time!
I promise it’s just as dead in the summer as winter, plus everything is closed on Sunday here, this is a monday-Friday kinda town
Thanks for the info. Love the town still. Plan to spend at least a full day there next time….on a weekday.
I’ve been here for a year, it does have its charm, but it’s not all that and a soda , but I would recommend staying at the rawhide sweet at the safari and eating at dels, then you will have the best experience
Thought I'd point out the Welcome Center as well. We arrived and just wanted some info on what motels were open (January). The lady said only a couple of them were open but didn't tell us which ones. We asked them which ones and the guy said they couldn't tell us because that would give one an advantage over the others. We weren't really sure if they were goofing on us or were just rude and impolite. To add to what you said about the town in general. Things don't change a lot there during the summer. Only a handful of places, mostly the pure tourist joints, close at all. Most keep some sort of schedule even in the off season. The city at night isn't much either. There are a couple of iconic old-school signs and a hodge-podge of others. In 1975 the place was really lit up at night, not anymore. The town itself really isn't worth a special stop or reward it by stopping in and spending money. Tucumcari is on that list of towns that are close to slipping into irrelevance as its economy drops further downhill. What little income comes in from the cattle business and Route 66. However, when you compare it to other towns in New Mexico along 66 you can see that it is on the bottom end of the list. I'd advise if you're headed west to drive on down to Santa Rosa, about an hour away. It has several places to eat and a group of newer, chain hotels out off the freeway for folks who don't want to venture on the wild side. Like T-town Santa Rosa has few places to eat, and none that are very good. Since the Club Cafe closed down years ago only Joseph's provides full menu eating. However, the service there blows, and the staff seem to have a tude'. Club Cafe was a very good place to eat. The food was all homemade and fresh. It had been a Route 66 mainstay for decades (the Fat Man signs, sourdough biscuits) and was usually crowded. It also had a large amount of local business until the fast-food joints came to town. That finished it off.
Thanks so much for all of the information. Yep, I could tell something was a bit “off” in the city, though it has a lot of interesting places. I definitely hope to go back through there when I make my next journey on Route 66, next time from East to West.
I moved here to Tucumcari 2 1/2 years ago. It has a lot the big chain Hotels also,
Along side I 40. If you don't want to stay in one of the historic ones. They are always open. I was in one of the historic ones for awhile when I bought a house here. There were a lot of people traveling the RT 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica,, that stayed at the motel I was at. They came from all over,,Japan and Europe. I meant a lot of them while I was at the old motel.
I'm gonna guess that you are a Scorpio
Because???? LOL